Steam trap



July 18, 1933. l.. P. STRONG STEAM TRAP Filed March 14, 1951 ATTO EYJ fes Patented July` 18, `1933 .f :This-invention, relates-tn improvements `in it is the","lp'rjae'tieeYtoy Ipvideftheqtrap bucket andy more "particularly/'5 its top wzltll,

with leI smallAA venti eifce, l upwardly through cape tif' ii and'fsteani therethrough venir idw;

Within the ltrap bucket, aided by slteainlridI/o i ir "Whieh` may i have enteied `the theu Weightf said:bekeft is rioriiilly Opposed fgsiignt extent @nains bnskt is iiindstiins Vfrequently opened, @but `the fbg alfnstticntiiiiioiisly discharging some' j'wte'r outltis fof` slight extent, fai] 'F of extremely 'short duratibnyssthatlittle water {and/br L i 4be substintiiiy completely .freed-oi its wat-,ei j

and/Qn ain-f'sincsthsftrap discharges 't j 'Une time n comparatively small janinunt iii wntsi-nngi/enai'n-x" f f f such n pi-e1ngsd`-diijijitinng tjhst' nniippiie'ci: e able 'prtinn'oi the w si fand/drinn insti-isp able measl; siich "as 'a bll valve, positioned stilemi-within instit-pj bucket. Inismnshfis the airy-ind sniff@ fftn 1st-sain witnin-theg1wf ,y y l p lai'vingitsbucket.piiivid-v ed with iinpiovied `vent ins-:insists continuing e f trap bucketis constantly'escaping from said bucket through the'small leak port which is always open, the steam and/or air pressure within the trap` bucket is constantly being reduced. In time, this steamand/or air presy,sure is reducedto such an extent that it is insufficient to maintain the ball valve elevated against' its seat, in closing position with respectto `the bucket vent orifice. Said ball valve thereuponl falls, with consequent comv v plete uncovering yor opening of the bucketv vent orfiice. The air within the bucket and some steam immediately rush out of the trap -bucket through its nowl completely open orifice, with the result that almost immediately there-is insufficient steamand or air pressure within the bucket' to maintain said bucket l' ins an elevated position. Said bucket thereupon falls, to its maximum extent, with consequent fulllopening ofthe trap outlet. A 'material discharge of water and air from the trap is thereupon brought about. -f 1 After such a substantial discharge of water and /or air from the trap, the incoming steam forces the ball valve up against its seat, with consequent almostmcomplete.- closing l'of the Y to remove: water of condensation and air.

bucket. vent orifice, and thelbucket is raised said vincoming steam to. itselevated posi.- tion, with consequent complete closing of the trap outlet. Since asubstantial amount of water and/or air is discharged from the trap eachtime the trap bucket falls,.i`tlfollows that said bucket need not and does not fall frequently, so that intermittent trap operation results.

`The present invention be more readily understood, and further features of which will ybe apparent, fromy the following description thereofreferenjce being had to the ac- 'f companying drawing in which Fig. 1l isa vertical sectionalview ofthe present improved steam trap; `Fig. l2 ,is an enlarged vertical sectional viewnoftheimproved vent meansof.: the present trap bucket; and Fig. 3 Ais a detail cross sectional view' of saidventfmeans on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. v' .1

rlfhe trap illustrated 'I includes a generally cupshaped metal casing 1, open at its top and having a generally cylindrical chamber 2 into which steam, 1`Water of condensationand airente'r through the centrally disposed bottom inlet opening 3L Threaded or otherwise suitably secured said, opening is an inlet pipe llffconnected tothe steam containing appliance from which the present trap is intended The chamber 2 of the trap casing is; closed at thetopfby a metal cover 6 of generallyv circular shapeinplan view and provided with a slightly off-center, generally cylindrical upright extension 7*, preferablyr integral with the cover.` The marginal portion of saidcover is bolted or1 otherwise suitably connected,

as* at .8, to a horizontally disposedy annular metal iange 9 shrunk upon or otherwisesuit- -said valve ably securedto the top of the trap lcasing l, y said casing at its top and said flange having annular"interlockingshoulders 10. For

"ro'y the upperend portion 18 of a hard metal bushing, the lower enlarged end portion 19 of which' lies within the lower,l enlarged' and` unthreaded `portion 20k of vsaid c'overand cover extension-passageway.V Said bushing is screwed up into said passageway vuntil the upperannular surface of ,its lower enlarged end portion19 engages the `annular shoulder 22 formed by theenlargementof saidcover and cover extension passageway.` n, If'desired, an annular sealing gasket23 may be interposed between said cover shoulder 22 and the enlarged lower end portion 19xof`said bushing, all a's clearlyl shown in Fig. 1. For`imparting rotarymovement'to said bushing inl said cover andcover extension passageway, the lower enlarged end portion 19 of said 'bushing is provided .withfopposed lugs 25 depending from the bottom thereof.` v Shrunk into or otherwise suitablyy ysecured in the lower end of a vertically disposedpassageway 29 in said bushing is an exceptionally hard metal' valve seat `member 30 ,havinga .f

centrally disposed, vertically extending open-- ing l31 therethrough,v `This openingv 31 con-l stitutes the loutlet opening of the trapand through'which, therefore,vpass the waterfand air discharged from the trap..v i f 1 This trap voutlet opening 31 `is controlled by a suitable valve Sti-pinned or .otherwise suitably mounted upon the upper end of'a generally ,vertically disposedy valve stemV 36.

For guidingsaidvalvein its. vertical move'- ment within the lower, unthreaded portion 2O of the cover andv cover extensionk passageway, into-and out of engagement lwiththe valve seat member 30, suitable guidemeans isprovided in said portion 20, said means having ay central portion through an opening in which passes and radially extending arm portions.v f l i The lower end of the valvey stem;y 3 6 lis Y pinnedor 'otherwise suitably connected to a lever 40, intermediate the endsof. said lever, 5

said'lever being arranged lin generally horizontal'po'sition at'th'etop of the trap chamber 2. The outer end ofV said'leve'r ispivot` ally mounted at42to a casing lug '43 arranged within lthe trap 'chamber2 at the top thereof, while theinner Aendfof said lever, whichend terminates substantially at the central axis of the trap, has suitably mounted l provide'diwith a 'vent fapertu-re 160, *.Sirtiple` in said aperture 60, such as by beading the? 'alo lthereon V:an linverted lbucket 56, the :movement of which :in :the ftra-p :chamber 2 :controls 'the movement of the valve and hencewitheiopening and closing of the trapfeutletlopeningl. `The connectionfoif-said1le-ver46to said :bucket `:is Sat substantially the center` ofthe' .dop

`52 offsaid bucketand'toimake lthisiconne'ction weight, a metalfdisk `53 and :a'zgenera'llly circular lilockiersarerespectifvely arranged above andbelowjtliefto wall 5'25offsaidvbudre't, as clenlyshownin '1.f .u

f To 4epermitiair -withinfrthe yinverted trap bucket 'to escape :therefrom into, fthe `top `portion `of the'ftrap .chamber i2, `the marginal .port-ion `ef the top Vwa'll '52;ofi-said bucket `is apertures of this vikindvconstitute 'the 'vent .means forltheV inverted bucketsA of practicarl- -ly al'lsteamitraps now on 'the^market,but in atheupresenttfrap," suitable valve means .is

providediforfconti'olling the'tlowof air (and,l `of course,steam)`through the bucket apertuneff'ffroin v.the space-within 'said bucket.-

In the present embodiment of theinven-I tion, the upper tubular vstem portion 6l of al metal valve housing is suitably *secured with# upper end of said stem portion outwardly,

as at 62, over the bucket top wall'52, or, asi

shown, over a metal-washer 63 surrounding 'said stem portion and lyingon said bucket "top wall. u Said valve housing is provided with an `inverted cup-shaped body portion 65 lying within thespace withinthe trap bucket, the annularshoulderfof said hous` ing body portion engaging the inner sur face of the bucket top' wall 52. Thechain-A ber 67 within said valve housing body portion is open at its bottom andthereforeyis` `in communication withthe spacewithin-the ball valve 69, of metal or the like, and adapt- ,trap bucket. At its top, said valve housing chamber 67 communicates -withthe 'slightly enlarged'lower end of arvertically disposed `passageway 68 extending throughtheYalve housing stem portion 61, theopen upperV end of said passageway being in communication with the top portion of thetrap chamber 2.

Arranged within the chamber67 of the valve housing body portion 65 is asuitable ed to almost completelycloseand open the lower enlarged endl ofA the` passageway. 68

of said valve housing vstem portion, a taisst pered annular valvefseat 70' being Vprovided at the lower end of said `passageway `for engagement by said ball valve. To confine, said f ball valve within said housing chamber 67,

- a suitable pin 72 extends across the lowerl portion 65. t As clearly indicated in the drawing, the

.656 metal disk 53 and the metal block 54 respecend of saidchamber, the ends of said pin being mounted in suitable openings in the cylindrical wall of the valve housing body timely 'arranged above (andfbelowithetopwall` 52 f the ftrapibucket are cutaway adjacent .theaper'turel in'said-wafll,therebyfenwbling,

the vallvellousingxto be more easily and' con` i ueniently amounted; iin said Yaperture. t i

tain fsaidlbucket in full-yv elevated position,

'agll'stts'iseat 470, in closing position rwith respect :the valve'housing passageway '68.v To permit the escapecfaI small quantity .u airjand/or isteam atallytim'es fromywithin the Strap ,1bucket, la :small ifleak agroox'lel "175 is provided in the valveseat 70. There/fore, I

evenwhenthe ball valve-169 :is iiup against Yits seat, 1in. closing :position vwith respect to thel ,valve housing `passagewiayf, La small' vent is provided for the slow escape into =thetop-` portion of theitrap chamber 22? of air 'and/ or mentioned, the :ball-valve 691is normally held `11p/,against --its seat 1170, inv 'clsin'g .position with respect to the Valve housing passagen.

`way 168', byA the steam and/or airpressure with'mthe trap bucket. Due to the escape, j: .even thoughata Vslow rate, of air (and some I steam) from within the trap bucket, through' 1 the leak groove l, and due tothe condensation of steam within the bucket, the pressure f i ofthe lsteam and/or air `withinthe ,trapf bucket is constantl *being reduced. In

is reduced to such an extentthatit isfno time,` the pressureo ysaid steam and/or air l f .t 'I f longersufficient to maintain the ball-valve iv 69 up against its seat .70, with the result thatf said ball valve leaves its seat and full opens f he yair the valve housing' passageway 68. and some *of thest'eam within the` trap fully yopen valve `housingpassageway 68,

with the result thatthe steam and/or air no i pressure withinthe tra-p ybucket almost -iInmediately is in suiiicient 'to maintain the trap bucket in an elevatedvpositionjand said'buck` 'bucket immediately rush upwardly andes- I t cape from .the trap bucket through the now` et thereuponffalls. Thefall'lof the Vtrap f bucket, which fall isfto its maximumextent,

effects a complete opening of thetrap outlet ns 31,'with consequent discharge from the'trap i 'i i i lvchamber of' an appreciable 'portion of the water and air therein. Inasmucli as the trap outlet is' .completely opened each time the its maximum extentfa substantial discharge i upon each fall of the bucket.

intermittently f operattrap bucket falls, and for an appreciable pey rlod, since the trap,bucketffalls-eachtime QthrQughthe inlet conduit @again-.returns the `trap bucket to its elevated, position, Fig. l, `with consequenticlosing by the valve 35v of they'tra'p outlet 31.; In this elevatedposition, thegtrapy bucket remains untilasuiricient air Iland/or steam" has escaped from; the .trap

bucket ythrough vtheleak groove 75; and/orv until sufficient steam within'the ,trap :bucket hascondensed, tofso reduce the steamand/or lair pressure within' the trap'bucket that said pressure isv :no longer suiic'ient. tov maintain theballvalve 16,9frup against itsfseat :70,fin closing, :position-lwith.y respect.l to the valve housing passageway 68; The 'f reduction ,of the'steain and/ or air pressure Within the trap Mbucketto'suchan extent results in the fopen ying of the valve housing passagewayy 68 and vv Vthefalling of the trap lbucket,xwithwconsef .quent opening v:of thetrap koutlet 31, alli as `2o .t v y While a ball Valve mechanism is used. in the present trap, it: will, of course,.be under#y stood-thatother typeslof Valve mechanism may; be employed, and that other 'changes may be made-in .the present trap Awithout de'- i parting frointhespi'rit onfthe scope Aofthe presentY'inVentonQ1.1`

mechanism for controlling saidoutlet, an .inverted bucket 4in thecha-niber. of-.said casing forv actuating f said. f valve" 1nechanism, said bucket `rbei-ng provided-y in- :its top Wall with -a ventlepassageway, and al. valve arranged below said ybucket top wall and hence. below the vVent,v passageway I thereof- ,for .controlling said passageway,k said 4valve cooperating with the lower vend [oflsaid passageway; said pas# sftgewayy being providedati its lowerglend with alleak'groove which said valve does not close,-the movement lof saidvalve intocand out ofclosingposition with respect to the Vlower;end-ofl said rpassageway serving to maintain ,said leaky lgroovefree. of clogging i foreign-matter `and hence always open. L-

ff; 11o 

